When using a snowblower to remove snow, a user will often move in a first linear direction until reaching the end of some real or imaginary boundary. By doing so, the user throws snow in a consistent direction, usually to the side of the directional movement. After reaching the boundary, the user will turn the snowblower 180° and continue to remove snow by moving in a direction opposite of the first linear direction. During this return, the snow is thrown in a direction opposite that of when the user was moving in the first linear direction. As such, snow is thrown in areas that have already been passed over by the snowblower and were clear of snow. To prevent such problems, snowblowers often include means for rotating a snowblower chute so that snow can be thrown in a consistent direction no matter which direction the snowblower is being directed.
Typically, snowblower chute controls can be mechanical or electrical mechanisms. Mechanical controls can have a gear system in which a control handle is connected to the gear system for rotating the snowblower chute. A crank shaft, for example, can be used to transfer rotational motion from a shaft to a gear system that is directly configured to the snowblower chute for rotational movement. Electrical controls can typically include a joystick-type control handle that is mechanically linked to a gear system configured directly to the snowblower chute. Thus, movement of the joystick-type control handle imparts movement on the snowblower chute.
The mechanical controls often have high loads that require a significant amount of strength to operate. Furthermore, these mechanical controls have relatively complex configurations and most provide minimal stroke. When coupled with freezing temperatures, these mechanical systems can often be difficult to operate. Thus, it would be advantageous to have a less complex mechanical snowblower chute control system that minimizes load and maximizes stroke to facilitate ease of use when rotating a snowblower chute.
Therefore, improved snowblower chute controls are provided for maximizing stroke and maintaining minimal parts and load for a user during operation for reducing the difficulty in mechanically rotating a snowblower chute.